SEO Doesn’t Have to Be a Sprint - Here’s How to Get Rolling

SEO is like riding a bike - once you learn you never forget. (It's a lot less tiring on the legs!)

Most mornings, I’m on the bike early. Not racing anyone - just getting into a rhythm. That’s how SEO works too: it’s not a sprint, it’s about showing up steadily, setting a good pace, and building momentum over time.

If you run a small business and feel like you’ve never even dipped a toe into the world of SEO, that’s completely fine. You’re not late to the party - most local businesses haven’t done much, if anything. But the truth is, showing up on Google when someone nearby searches for what you offer can make a real difference to your business.

This isn’t about trying to “hack the algorithm” or do anything complicated. It’s just about making sure people can actually find you when they’re looking. That’s all SEO really is. So here’s a simple, no-nonsense plan to help you get started.

First up, sort your Google Business Profile. This one step can do more for your visibility than almost anything else. It’s free and takes 10–15 minutes. Just go to google.com/business, sign in, and fill in everything: your opening hours, what you do, a few photos, your location, and your contact info. This helps you show up when people search things like “plumber near me” or “coffee shop in Skerries.”

Then, take a proper look at your website (if you have one). Does it load quickly? Is it clear what you offer and where you’re based? Can someone find your phone number within five seconds of landing on it? That stuff matters more than fancy design. Make sure your site works well on a phone too most people won’t be browsing on a laptop.

After that, start thinking about what people actually search to find businesses like yours. Let’s say you run a landscaping business in Meath. Someone might search for “garden maintenance Ashbourne” or “paving contractor Meath.” You want to figure out a few key phrases like that and make sure they appear naturally on your site, in your headings, your page titles, even in the descriptions of your services. Just write the way your customers speak.

One thing people forget is how powerful blog posts or short tips can be, even just one a month. Say you’re an electrician, you could write a post like “3 Common Faults That Trip Your Fuse Board” or “Why Your Lights Keep Flickering (And When to Call Someone).” You’re not trying to become a blogger, you’re just showing up online as someone who knows what they’re doing and Google rewards that.

You should also get listed on local directories like Golden Pages, Yelp, or even local Facebook groups and community boards. Having your business name, address and number (exactly the same spelling every time) across a few trusted sites helps build trust with Google. This is called citation building - but don’t worry about the name, just know it helps.

And finally, get set up with Google Search Console and Google Analytics. They’re both free and show you how people are finding your site, what pages they visit, and where you’re showing up in search. It gives you a sense of progress, even if it’s slow at the start.

That’s it. Nothing wild, just a few solid steps. SEO doesn’t work overnight, but if you do the basics well and stay consistent, you’ll start to notice more traffic, more enquiries, and better visibility over time.

If all this still feels like a bit much or you’d rather just have someone sort it for you, that’s what I do. No hard sell. Just drop me a message here and I’ll tell you what’s worth doing (and what’s not).

Have a fantastic day!

Take care,

Luke